CHRISTINE Hamilton was quoted yesterday as saying she only recently found out what a swingers' party is from documentary maker Louis Theroux.

However, in her first book published in 1997 which described the life of "battleaxes", a cornucopia of 33 belligerent British women, one of her subjects was Britain's most infamous madame, Cynthia Payne.

The former vice queen, who was renowned for her celebrated brothel, later admitted at the book's launch that she had met Mrs Hamilton before it was written.

Cynthia "retired" in 1986 after her Streatham-based house of ill-repute was raided by police and she was prosecuted.

Transcripts of the Hamiltons' interviews with detectives were published in a national newspaper yesterday after they apparently made their copies of the tapes available.

They reveal how Mrs Hamilton finally broke down in tears after having been asked whether she visited internet porn sites or attended "swingers'" sex parties.

Denying the suggestions, she said: "I only know what a swingers' party is because I recently met Mr Louis Theroux (a documentary maker currently filming the Hamiltons) who has made a programme about them and I understand from him that a swingers' party is a wife or husband-swapping party."

Christine Hamilton was inspired to write the book, The Bumper Book of British Battleaxes, when she acquired media celebrity for her feisty support of her husband during the 1997 general election.

Lampooned in countless articles and cartoons as a ferocious battleaxe, she also aroused admiration in many quarters for her spirit and chutzpah.

Her characters ranged from Queen Victoria and Margaret Thatcher to Joan Collins and Barbara Cartland.

Cynthia Payne said she was glad to have had a mention in the book.

"I'm not sure where she got her research because I've only met her once before, but I think the term battleaxe is quite witty, so I'm delighted to be here."